Monday, October 22, 2012

[113] MTSU's School of Music's 'All-Steinway' status gets attention in 10th year

MURFREESBORO — MTSU’s School of Music has spent decades providing a stellar
education for its students, and its last decade as one of only 140-plus
“All-Steinway Schools” in the world has cemented its international reputation
for excellence.

“We do
our best to help our students achieve the highest possible quality education, which
means providing our musicians with access to the best artist-level instruments
available," said Dr. George Riordan, director of the MTSU School of Music.

"For
over a century, Steinway has been synonymous with the highest quality in
pianos, and so our partnership is a symbol of our pursuit of excellence.”

MTSU
purchased 57 of the renowned instruments in 2002 after several years of using
“loaner” pianos from various manufacturers and about 21 university-owned
acoustic pianos. The School of Music then became the first “All-Steinway
School” in Tennessee, subsequently adding three more Steinways to its artistic
arsenal.

To be
designated as an official “All-Steinway School,” a college or university’s
music program must:

·use
Steinway pianos in all of its performance spaces and teaching studios;

·have
Steinway-designed pianos in all the school’s other music classrooms and
practice rooms;

·ensure
that at least 90 percent of the school’s acoustic pianos are Steinway products;

·not
participate in “loaner” programs from another piano manufacturer; and

·have
a defined piano service/maintenance program in place.

Crews
from WSMV-Channel 4 spent time Oct. 10 with MTSU students, faculty and staff,
discussing the 60 Steinway vertical and grand pianos inside the Wright Music
Building and the adjoining Saunders Fine Arts Building. The story is scheduled
to air soon.

The
School of Music has a full-time technician, Chris Purdy, who receives advanced
training twice a year from Steinway. The WSMV news team chatted with Purdy and
Riordan as well as with students and members of the university’s piano faculty.

“MTSU
is committed to the long-term development of its students, and that means,
whenever possible, we need to invest in instruments that will last for present
and many future generations,” Riordan explained.

“Unlike
computers or other digital technology that quickly goes out of date, Steinway
pianos are built to provide dependable response for a century or more, with
proper maintenance. … Our partnership with Steinway includes yearly check-ups
of each individual instrument, which enables us to maximize the long life of
our pianos.”

MTSU’s
“All-Steinway” status puts it in the company of other esteemed music educators
around the world, including The Juilliard School, Oberlin College Conservatory,
Beijing’s China Conservatory of Music, the Yale School of Music, the University
of Melbourne (Australia) Faculty of Music and the Curtis Institute of Music in
Philadelphia, among others.

"When
students practice on a Steinway, they are being prepared to play on the pianos
they are most likely to encounter after they graduate," Sally Coveleskie,
national director of institutional sales for Steinway & Sons in New York,
said when MTSU’s pianos were purchased from the Long Island City, N.Y.-based
company.

“Not
only do Steinway pianos come to us with the assurance that we’re providing the
highest quality artist instruments to our students, but we are also insuring
that we’re getting the very best long-term return on our investment,” Riordan
added.

For
more information on the MTSU School of Music, visit its website at www.mtsumusic.com.